The Grateful Dead has just set an amazing record.
The legendary Bay Area jam band, which formed in 1965 and kept right on “Truckin’” until the death of Jerry Garcia in 1995, has just notched the all-time record for the most Top 40 albums on the Billboard 200.
The group set the record when its latest archival release — “Dave’s Picks Vol. 49” — debuted at No. 25 on the most recent chart. It marks the band’s 59th album to chart in the Top 40.
The group had previously been part of a three-way tie for the record with Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
But now the Grateful Dead stands alone.
“This could be the most unlikely and unexpected record in music history, and is a testament to a few things,” says Grateful Dead archivist David Lemieux, who is the Dave in “Dave’s Picks.” “First and foremost is the exceptional and consistent quality of the Grateful Dead’s more than 2,000 live shows. On the heels of this is the loyalty and passion of the many Dead Heads who have made this record possible.
“Dave’s Picks Vol. 49” is also No. 1 on this week’s Billboard’s Top Album Sales.
